The present application relates generally to communications and, more particularly, to communication with contactless smartcards.
Contactless smartcards are widely used to purchase goods and services. For example, it is now possible to pay for gasoline, groceries, and transit fares simply by waving a contactless smartcard in the vicinity of a card reader. Contactless smartcards provide the cardholder with a quick and convenient way to transfer value and often can be recharged or otherwise linked to a line of credit.
A contactless smartcard communicates with a card reader using electromagnetic radiation. Card transactions often involve an over-the-air exchange of sensitive information such as account numbers and card identifiers. These exchanges are susceptible to eavesdropping which can lead to hacking the smartcard or the theft of its value.
Data encryption can help to reduce the incidence of hacking attacks. However, encryption algorithms can be cracked and are susceptible to unforeseen weaknesses. Moreover, a large body of unencrypted or weakly encrypted cards is currently in circulation.